THE possibility of Lembit Opik taking charge of Tyneside’s police may have moved a step closer.

The Liberal Democrats have decided to field a candidate in the election for the £80,000 job of Northumbria police and crime commissioner in November.

And Lembit Opik, the former MP and Newcastle councillor, has reaffirmed his interest in the post.

Elected police chiefs will be able to hire and fire chief constables, set targets and lead on multi-million pound budgets.

Mr Opik said: “If the party is going to stand a candidate, it needs to get on with it to give that person the chance to establish themselves in the public consciousness. I am interested, as I said before, and I need to talk with senior party representatives.”